Editors' note: Krishna and Arjuna are the central figures in the Bhagavad Gita. Krishna, a personification of Vishnu, instructs Arjuna, showing him how to achieve self-realisation in life by being nonattached to the fruits of his actions. Arjuna is a good householder, with some balance within himself to enable him to make his body obedient, remember God and finally destroy his ego to become free. The whole story is about the inner work he undertakes. Arjuna and Krishna are to be understood as the two qualities within oneself, the relatives are all the different ‘I’s or parts within, the kinsmen essence qualities, and the outside foes have to do with the ego. Arjuna becomes an enlightened man in the end.